Read Online Somebody Like You by Beth K. Vogt - Free Book Online Page A

to move his plate aside. “Sam and I lived with my mom for the first two years after our parents divorced, until we were fifteen. We had summers and some holidays with our dad—until he remarried. Sam said Gina tried too hard to make us like her.”
    “Did she?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe. Don’t all stepmothers try too hard?” Stephen downed the last of his water. “After our first visit, Sam refused to go back. He was all about not upsetting Mom—about not abandoning her. He got angry when I refused to desert Dad. So we . . . we picked sides.”
    “You with your dad and Sam with your mom.”
    “Yes. He went to high school in Oklahoma and I went to high school in Pennsylvania. And then Sam decided to go into the army—instead of sticking with the plan to go to college. I got mad. He got mad. And I didn’t say good-bye when he went to boot camp.”
    Haley motioned for the waitress, requesting to-go boxes for her and Stephen, too aware of the man across the table again. Would she ever stop flinching when she looked at Sam’s brother? “Well, it might be time to try and get along with your mom, because I can’t help you that much. And I need to head home now.”
    Stephen grabbed the black plastic folder holding their bill, throwing some cash into it and then scraping his lasagna into the Styrofoam container while Haley boxed up the remnants of her entrée.
    “Thank you for dinner. I don’t know if I was any help . . . Anyway, thank you.”
    Stephen scrambled into his coat as she slid from the booth and headed for the front of the restaurant and the exit. “Wait. Let me at least walk you to your car. I wanted to talk to you about—”
    As she passed a crowded booth, a man called out, “Hal? Hey, Hal!”
    The too-familiar voice of one of Sam’s comrades brought her up short. He and his wife and another couple sat together, menus in hand. “Chaz. Angie. How are you?”
    “We’re good. Just having dinner out. How are you doing?” Chaz rose to his feet just as Stephen caught up with her. “Who is— whoa !”
    Chaz had deployed with Sam—had played a game of cards with Sam the night before he was killed. Been a pallbearer at his funeral. If only she could rewind the last thirty seconds so he wouldn’t be staring at Sam’s face again.
    Even as Angie gasped, Haley put a hand on Chaz’s forearm while positioning herself between the two men. “Chaz, this is Stephen Ames—Sam’s twin brother.”
    “What are you talking about?” Chaz’s gaze darted from Haley and then back to Stephen.
    Haley forced the words past her lips again. “This is Stephen, Sam’s twin brother. Sam didn’t tell me . . . or anyone else about him.”
    Chaz rubbed his hand down his face and then refocused on Stephen. “You’re Sam’s brother?”
    “Yes.” Stephen stepped up, reaching out to shake Chaz’s hand. “Stephen Ames.”
    “Geez, man, you look exactly like him. I thought I was seeing Sam’s ghost.” His eyes narrowed. “You okay, Hal?”
    “I’m fine. I had dinner with Stephen because he just found out about Sam being killed in Afghanistan. He had some questions. That’s all. He’s heading back home after this.”
    “Good thing.” Chaz huffed a humorless laugh. “He’d freak out a bunch of people if he hung around here.”
    Haley watched as Stephen tucked his hands in the pockets of his chinos. “I take it you knew my brother?”
    “Yes.” Chaz’s gaze stayed glued to Stephen’s face. “He was one of my best friends.”
    “He was mine too for a lot of years. I’m sorry to say our parents’ divorce changed that.”
    “Your brother was a good guy. A great soldier.”
    “Thanks. I’m not surprised to hear that.”
    Haley found herself between Sam’s past and what, only five months ago, had been his present and their future. Time to end this. “Well, I’m heading home.”
    Angie spoke up from where she sat in the booth. “Let me know if you need anything, Hal.”
    “Will